


Magic Hour

by orphan_account



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, pricefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-18 04:37:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4692323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>HarryPotter!AU. Chloe brings Max as her date to the Yule Ball.<br/>-----<br/>She bows, offering one hand out to Max. “May I have this dance?” she asks, grinning.</p><p>Max curtsies as well, before placing her hand in Chloe’s. “I’d love to.”<br/>-----</p>
            </blockquote>





	Magic Hour

**Author's Note:**

> For my good friend [nomtheburritos](http://www.nomtheburritos.tumblr.com) on tumblr! She requested an HP!AU Yule Ball prompt so here it is SWEATS NERVOUSLY DISCLAIMER SUPER GAY
> 
> Thanks to [explosionshark](http://www.explosionshark.tumblr.com) and [mostlymilkwood](http://www.mostlymilkwood.tumblr.com) and [wussygirl/TippyTypewriter](http://www.wussygirl.tumblr.com) for beta-ing!
> 
> [THIS IS THE SONG BTW](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=127&v=9ey5L6tskNE)

 

She's beautiful. She always is.

She doesn't hear the photographers calling out her name, doesn't see the flashing lights around them. All she knows is that Max is  _here_ , with her, shining so brightly that nothing else in the world seems to matter.

At least, in Chloe's mind.

But Max is nervous. Her smile seems forced, not as full as it usually is, like when she's laughing at Chloe's jokes. Her hand grips Chloe's arm, a little too tightly, and she stands a little too close to Chloe, as if hoping to hide behind her, away from the attention.

Chloe knows that Max isn't used to being in the limelight, where people take photos of her instead of the other way around.

After the photographers are shooed away by an irritated McGonagall, the champions are given a moment to collect themselves before they enter the Great Hall.

"Hey," Chloe says softly, noticing Max biting her lip, looking down at her flowing blue dress, the color of forget-me-nots, of the sky in summer, of Chloe's dyed hair. "It's gonna be okay."

Max glances up, reaches one hand up to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her hand trembling. "Yeah, it's gonna be okay," she echoes, but Chloe can hear the uncertainty in her voice.

McGonagall comes by each of the pairs, critically eyeing their outfits, adjusting a tie there, brushing off some dust from a dress there. When she gets to Chloe, she lets out a huff of breath, shaking her head.

"Miss Price, if you would,  _please_  tuck in your shirt," she says dryly, reaching forward and straightening Chloe's black bowtie before brushing the shoulders of Chloe's black dress robe. She offers a friendly smile and nod to Max, who manages to give her a small smile in return.

"You look wonderful, Miss Caulfield," McGonagall says as Chloe, grumbling, shoves the loose ends of her white dress shirt into her black pants. "Do keep Miss Price in line, if you can."

Before Chloe can respond with indignant sputtering, McGonagall turns and stands by the doors of the Great Hall, glancing inside for the champions' cue to enter.

"I can be in line," Chloe mutters. She blinks when Max stands on her toes for a brief instant, giving Chloe a quick kiss on the cheek.

When Max smiles, Chloe's world becomes a little brighter, a little better, a little more beautiful.

And Max is who she pictures in her mind when she casts a Patronus.

Chloe leans in, ready and wanting to give Max the light she feels inside her heart, but then McGonagall hisses a warning before the doors to the Great Hall open wide.

Pulling away, Chloe turns and takes a deep breath. She can be with Max later...But now, it's time to dance.

Max hangs onto her arm as the two of them walk past a gap in the large crowd, and Chloe feels Max move a little closer to her as they hear the awed 'oohs', revered gasps, and esteemed applause from their classmates.

As the two of them reach the dance floor amidst the sound of blaring trumpets from the band on the stage, Chloe turns to see that Max is still anxious, uncomfortable with the rapt stares and focused attention from the crowd around them.

"Hey, hey," Chloe says softly as she places one hand on Max's waist, the other gently grasping one of Max's hands. "Just follow me, okay?"

"Chloe," Max swallows, glancing up. "I'm kinda nervous about this. I'm not good at dancing."

"Don't worry, they're all looking at me anyway," Chloe grins. She leans in close as she whispers in Max's ear, "But  _I'm_  only looking at you."

When she pulls away, Max is blushing, but there's a smile on her face now.

As the music starts, Chloe gently guides Max around the dance floor, murmuring words of encouragement, a quiet lyrical accompaniment to the band playing on stage. Despite practicing the waltz beforehand, Max still seemed unsure on her feet, occasionally stepping on Chloe's foot and mumbling an apology before being cut off by Chloe twirling her around or flashing a confident smile.

Because Chloe's determined to make this night  _perfect_. She'd practiced this dance numerous times - even outside of their normal rehearsals - and now, the two of them glided across the dance floor as other couples began to join them as well. Smoothly and effortlessly guiding Max through the steps, Chloe couldn't help but feel a swell of pride and boldness in her chest.

"See? Not too bad, right?" Chloe says, and Max relaxes a little as the spotlight diverts from them to the other dancers.

"Yeah. Only because you're here though," Max smiles, and Chloe's heart flutters a little.

Soon enough, the floor becomes a little crowded as others vigorously join in with their own dancing styles, and Chloe looks up to see McGonagall giving a nod, signaling that the formal waltz from the champions can come to an end. The band picks up the pace, playing a more robust and exciting tune as the real party begins.

Chloe grins down at Max, eager and excited - Max mirrors her expression, and the two drop their formal stance and instead join the crowd as it rocks out. The two laugh as they see Trevor awkwardly swaying to the beat as the ever graceful Dana dances next to him; across the floor, they see Warren and Brooke caught in some strange rendition of a salsa.

The two of them spend a little while with the others on the floor, cheering when the Weird Sisters hop on stage, bagpipes and guitars and drums banging out a fast beat; for a moment, Chloe feels more alive than ever, with Max laughing and gripping her hand next to her as her favorite band plays just feet away.

It's perfect.

Almost.

As students and teachers alike start dancing a little more loosely, with fists pumping accompanied by hoots and hollers as the Weird Sisters start  _Do the Hippogriff_ , Chloe tugs on Max's hand, expertly dodging through the close-packed crowd.

The both of them are panting as they pull away from the heat-packed mob crowding close to the stage, and Chloe guides them out to the cool air in the hallway just outside the Great Hall. Max wraps her arms around Chloe, and it's another moment frozen in time as the two of them just appreciate being with the other.

Chloe presses a quick kiss to the top of Max's head as the two catch their breath. "I have something special to show you," she murmurs, and Max shifts away, surprised.

"What?"

Chloe's mind goes blank before she can answer; Max's face is flushed, her lips slightly parted as she breathes, her eyes bright in the light of the chandelier hanging above them. As Chloe's eyes dart down from Max's exposed neck to her collarbones, she flashes back to when the two of them had hidden inside the Room of Requirement, where Chloe had her lips pressed against the column of Max's throat, and Max had breathed Chloe's name -

Chloe swallows, trying to clear the haze of desire from her mind.

"Follow me."

The two of them head out and onto the castle grounds, and the sharp, cold air provides a relief from the heat of the party inside. Chloe interlaces her fingers between Max's, using her other hand to take out her wand.

"Chloe?" Max asks tentatively as Chloe murmurs, " _Lumos._ "

"Don't worry, Max. We're not leaving the grounds or anything," Chloe replies, using the light of her wand to guide the two over to the Herbology glass houses.

"Yeah, the last time you brought me out at night was when you dragged the both of us into the Forbidden Forest," Max says pointedly, but she nonetheless follows Chloe to the gates.

"Aw, c'mon, Max. We got to see a unicorn!" Chloe says, hesitantly pushing the gate open. Grinning as the gate swung open, Chloe makes a mental note to thank Kate Marsh later.

"Yeah, but we got detention for like a  _week_."

Their usual banter continues, and Chloe begins to feel that sense of adventure, like when they were kids, playing make-believe stories of magic and wonder in Chloe's backyard.

But of course, now those stories are real. And Chloe's prepared to make the best story yet.

As the two walk past the glass houses, Chloe tugs on Max's hand and stops just outside a path lined with bushes and shrubs; further down is a clearing with a gorgeous fountain, its water reflecting the night stars above among its ripples and waves. Small floating lights throw a warm, golden glow in the midst of the silver moonlight shining above.

Max turns with a questioning look, but Chloe just grins back in response. She offers her arm out to Max, just like they'd done before they'd entered the ball - Max rolls her eyes, but nonetheless stands at Chloe's side, one hand holding onto Chloe's arm.

Chloe raises her wand again, murmurs something quickly under her breath; a beat later, the soft sounds of a piano begin to play through the air, a slow, gentle melody that makes the world a little smaller.

"Wow, Chloe," Max says, embarrassed, her free hand reaching up to pull on a stray strand of hair. "You're really gonna do this?"

Chloe grins. "You deserve the best, Max."

She gestures again with her wand, and as the two walk down the path, the shrubs on either side begin to grow a beautiful array of forget-me-nots, each one blooming and blossoming with a small burst of sparkles and light.

As they reach the opening to the clearing, Max tugs gently on Chloe's arm, and the two pause as Max reaches a hand out to gently pluck a forget-me-not. As Max looks down at the flower with admiration and awe, Chloe looks at her with the same expression.

Max is the most beautiful person Chloe's ever seen.

Max turns, smiling, and she reaches up to place the flower in the breast pocket of Chloe's dress robe.

"I know flowers aren't punk," Max starts, but Chloe shakes her head.

The sound of violins join the piano, and it's an elegant and sentimental song that makes Chloe laugh a little. There's nothing punk about flowers and instrumental music and private gardens, sure.

But Chloe feels like she's high anyway.

"You're punk enough for me," Chloe says, and Max laughs too.

Chloe gently brings them both further into the clearing, and she bows, offering one hand out to Max. "May I have this dance?" she asks, grinning.

Max curtsies as well, before placing her hand in Chloe's. "I'd love to."

This time, Max isn't nervous or anxious; she's smiling, laughing as Chloe picks her up and spins her around, gliding with Chloe as they waltz around the clearing. The violins and piano continue to play their gentle melody as time passes them by - but of course, for the two of them, it just seems like a neverending moment with the one they love most.

The two of them stop when they begin to hear the sounds of fireworks in the distance; they look up and see the bright explosions above them, each a flash and bang of color and wonder.

"Chloe," Max says softly, and Chloe looks down at her, thoughts filled with nothing but love and admiration. "This is all so beautiful. Thank you."

Chloe mentally thanks Kate Marsh a billion times in her mind for setting up the music and the garden; in response to Max, however, she says, "You're beautiful."

Max blushes of course; Chloe's never been this smooth for this long before. She wraps her arms around Chloe, burying her face in the crook of Chloe's neck as she mumbles, "Flatterer. You're just saying that."

"I'm not," Chloe says quietly, and she shifts away slightly, reaching one hand up to cup Max's cheek; their faces are just inches apart, and Chloe feels a surge of boldness in her chest.

Everything's perfect.

Well, almost perfect.

"May I…?" Chloe asks, and Max stands on her toes before whispering, "I'd love that."

Chloe closed the distance between them just as Max tangled her hand in Chloe's hair; what Chloe loves most about kissing Max is how soft her mouth is and how warm Max's body is flush up against her own.

When they pull away, Chloe doesn't hesitate to pick Max up in her arms, bridal style. Max laughs, breathless as she puts her arms around Chloe's neck, head resting against Chloe's shoulder.

"Where are we going now, Chloe?"

Chloe's thinking of one other place she wants to be with Max, and she intends to be there soon.

"Back to our room," she says, her mind abuzz with a kind of high and thrill that comes with being in love.


End file.
